To Tri and Which One
All of this talk regarding the upcoming LP Camp and then IMLP itself in a month has gotten me really excited about doing my first tri in 2011. My question for the Team is whether or not I am off my rocker for consider doing an IM, and IMLP specifically, as my first tri. I am considering showing up at Lake Placid in July so that I can put my money were my mouth is. I feel that this is the only thing that will force me to start the swimming. 
Thanks, Pete
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Yes - you should go to LP this year, volunteer, check it out, and sign up.
That said, I cringe when people say they want to do an ironman as their first tri. If you are a strong swimmer, sure go for it. If not, I personally would recomend doing at least one triathlon first. Give yourself a chance to get used to swiming with other people so that your first triathlon swim will not be a mass start with 2500+ of your closest friends. You have plenty of time so why not give yourself a chance to race a few lower key and less crowded races first?
Can you swim? By that I mean have you ever done any swimming which involved doing laps or long distances free style. Can you do all 4 strokes or even have an understanding what they are?
Not trying to minimize the accomplishment of IM but even if you can dog paddle 2.4 miles in 2:20 you would finish LP before the time cutoff. The physical task of LC at AZ while it does not take as long is at least as hard as IMLP. As a bonus, at LP you will never be walking alone through the woods. At AZ the freakin winner usually ends up walking alone through the woods.
Signing up for IM and racing it next July is a very doable [if not reasonable] goal. Doing it as your first tri is kinda stupid though. Take some swim lessons to minimize the bad habit formation before it starts and then sign up for a sprint or an Olympic one of these weekends and give it a rip. There are tons of races out your way. Better yet come to Skinnyman on Labor Day weekend and I will buy you that beer. Then next spring you can tackle AZ LC and then the Harriman Half the following weekend. That would be an awesome stupid human trick and after it LP would seem easy.
Can you do it? Sure.
Should you do it? Conventional wisdom is that one's first triathlon should not be an Ironman. If you only plan on doing one (IM) in your life, well then, go ahead, check it off your list. But if your goal is to see how GOOD you can be at Ironman, I think it's much better to ramp up over a period of 18-60 months, developing the broad knowledge and multiple skills required to SUCCEED at this sport. By ramp up, I mean do some shorter (but big) races first, sprints and olys in the first year (2010) and halfs in the second (2011). And sign up in 2011 for your preferred location in 2012. There's no hurry; you're not so old you won't get another chance.
Regarding the melee of the swim. You don't need 2500 people to get the same effect. 150 + in a wave will do just nicely to get you thrashed and pounded so you understand what you'll face in the first 30-45 minutes of an IM swim.
Take Away #2: Take a few swim lessons. Good news on this point. The pool club that I have belong to (for the kids) for the past few years opens up this weekend. I started asking around and there are quite a few people who offer private swim lessons. Extremely excited about this.
Take Away #3: I can do an IM. I am still debating whether to stick with a Half IM in 2011 or just go for the full monty. I have been talking to a few other friends (peer pressure) trying to convince them to join me. Their decision may be the deciding factor. Today I am leaning towards the full IM, but could change tomorrow.
Take Away #4: Team EN Rocks!! Thanks for everyone's advice and support.
I signed up for CDA w/o ever having done a tri. I have a cousin and his son doing it also, so I figured, what the heck. I wasn't a swimmer or cyclist. I ended up signing up for IM 70.3 California in March to get some practice in. I did a lot better than I thought. I learned a lot. ie, faster transition, swim is not that bad, you actually have to eat on the run.
I say sign up. Do shorter tri as practice and then go through the EN program and you will have no problems. Of course I haven't done the IM yet (3 weeks left).
Pete
If Bike Catcher is available, that's got a lot of appeal.